Drive mechanism



Feb. 1, 1955 F. CARTLIDGE 2,701,046

DRI VE MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRANK CARTLIDGE ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1955 Filed June 15, 1953 F. CARTLIDGE DRIVE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FRANK CARTLIDGE ATTORNEY F. CARTLIDGE DRIVE MECHANISM Feb. 1, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 15, 1955 INVENTOR.

FRANK CARTLIDGE ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1955 F. CARTLIDGE 2,7 1,

DRIVE MECHANISM INVENTOR. FRANK CARTLIDGE y yqm ATTORNEY United States Patent DRIVE NIECHANISM Frank Cartlidge, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 15, 1953, Serial No. 361,503

6 Claims. (Cl. 198-8) This invention relates to improvements in drive mechanisms and more particularly relates to an improved drive from two electrically and mechanically connected motors adapted to drive the gathering devices of loading machines operable in mines underground.

It is a prerequisite in loading machines operable in mines underground that the machine be of a minimum overall height in order that it may readily operate and be maneuverable in places of low head room. Such machines usually have two gathering devices at the forward end of the machine and a central conveyor extending therefrom. The gathering devices besides picking up the loose coal from the ground also pick up and break large lumps of coal and at times break hanging coal from the solid as well as pick and load rock in places where it is necessary to take rock either from the top or bottom of the mine.

Considering that the average loading rate may be three tons a minute or higher, it may be seen that this requires a large reserve of power, more than can usually be obtained from a single motor, without increasing the height of the machine to an undesirable extent.

For this reason individual motors at each side of the machine have been provided to drive the gathering devices and elevating conveyor. These motors have been mechanically tied together and have been connected in the electric system in series and in parallel.

Parallel connected motors mechanically tied together by a shaft driven by each motor have been satisfactory in certain operations. The motors however, must be per fectly matched or one will tend to run faster than the other, and carry a greater part of the load and eventually overheat and burn up. When this occurs, the good motor must be brought back to the factory to be matched up with a new motor. This makes this arrangement of motors extremely expensive and impractical for use in mining operations.

Where the motors have been electrically connected together in series, friction slip clutches have been provided in the drives from the motors, and the motors have been mechanically tied together on the driven side of the friction slip clutches, from which the gathering devices and conveyor are driven.

With this drive arrangement, the clutches must be set identically. If they are not so set, when one or both of the gathering devices encounters heavy going and the clutches start to slip, they will not slip the same amount. The motors will then run at different speeds and since the counter e. m. f. will be less in the slower motor and higher in the faster motor, there will be nothing to contribute stability to the two motors, and the faster motor will speed up while the slower motor will slow down. The result will be that the slower motor will be practically stationary and the faster motor will run at double speed within the limits of its clutch.

The drive mechanism of my invention has as its principal objects to remedy the foregoing difficulties by stabilizing the system by electrically connecting the motors in series and providing two tying drive connections in the drive from the motors, one of which mechanically ties the motors together and the other of which ties the gathering mechanisms together and by connecting the two tying connections for the gathering mechanism to the motors by friction slip clutches.

A further object of my invention is to provide a positive stabilizing drive connection between two series connected motors equalizing the load between the motors and providing a second stabilizing drive connection in the drive to the mechanisms driven by the motors arranged to slip upon predetermined torque loads without affecting the first stabilizing connection.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple and novel drive for the gathering mechanisms of a low loading device from individual motors utilizing a geared stabilizing drive connection between the motors, a second geared stabilizing connection between the gathering mechanisms and two torque clutches connecting one stabilizing connection to be driven from the other.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and novel drive for the gathering mechanisms and conveyor of low loading machines in which individual motors on each side of the machine are provided to drive the gathering mechanisms and are electrically connected together in series and mechanically connected together by a stabilizing tying shaft, in which the gathering mechanisms are mechanically connected together by a stabilizing tying shaft and individual friction clutches driven by the motors have drive connections with opposite ends of the second stabilizing tying shaft.

These and other objects of my invention will appeal from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings where m:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the forward end portion of a loading machine, such as is used in mines underground and having a drive constructed in accordance with my invention incorporated therein:

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the forward end portion of the machine shown in Figure l with certain parts thereof broken away and certain other parts shown in section in order to show the tying stabilizing shafts connected between the gathering mechanisms and drive motors;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the drive to one end of the stabilizing tying shafts;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken inwardly toward the center of the machine from Figure 2 and illustrating certain parts of the drive to one of the gathering mechanisms not shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line VlVI of Figure 4, with the gathering mechanism tilted to show the supporting apron therefore in a horizontal position, and szhovvliigg certain details of the drive not shown in Figures Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through the drive to the conveyor and gathering mechanisms, and illustrating in particular the details of the drive to the equalizing or tying shaft tying the gathering mechanisms together, and from the tying shaft to one of the gathering mechanisms and the conveyor; and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the series connection between the motors and the rotationship of the stabilizing shafts between the motors and gathering mechanisms.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown generally the forward end portion of a face loading machine 10, of a type particularly adapted to operate in places of low headroom in mines underground.

The machine consists generally of a main frame 11 mounted on a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices 12, 12 and having a laterally swingable frame 13 projecting forwardly from the forward end thereof. An inclined gathering or loading head 14 is shown as being mounted on the frame 13 in advance of said main frame, for vertical adjustment about a transverse axis and for lateral swinging movement along the ground to pick up material in remote corners of the working place. The frame 13 and the means for swinging said frame laterally and for adjustably moving the gathering element vertically are no part of my present invention so need not herein be described further.

A laterally flexible center strand endless chain 15 having parallel spaced flights 16 pivotally connected thereto and extending from each side thereof, forms a conveying element for the machine and is trained from a position adjacent the forward end of the gathering head 14 along the laterally swingable frame 13 and the main frame 11 to a discharge position adjacent the rear end of said main frame (not shown).

A pair of endless chain and flight gathering devices 17, 17 of the well known construction, is shown as extending along each side of the forward end of said con veyor beyond the forward end thereof for picking up loose material from the ground and progressing it on to said conveyor. Said gathering devices are shown as being mounted on an apron 19, and guided for orbital movement therealong in the plane of said apron in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, so not herein shown or described further.

The drive to the endless conveyor chain 15 and the gathering devices 17, 17 is shown as including two electric motors 25, 25, one being mounted on each side of the frame 13 and extending longitudinally thereof, and schematically shown in Figure 7 as being mechanically stabilized and electrically connected together in series. The drive from each motor on each side of the machine is the same so the drive from one motor only need herein be shown and described in detail.

Each motor 25 is shown as having a motor shaft 26 extending longitudinally of the swinging frame 13 and connected with an axially aligned worm shaft 27 by a coupling member 29. The worm shaft 27 is shown as having a worm 30 thereon, intermediate the ends thereof and as being journaled in the upper half of a gear housing 31, secured to the swinging frame 13 beneath the apron 19. Oppositely arranged end thrust bearings 32-32 are shown as journaling the forward end of the worm shaft 27 in the gear housing 31, while a single anti-friction bearing 33 is shown as journaling the rear end portion of tlgc; worm shaft 27 in the gear housing 31 (see Figure The worm 30 is shown as meshing with and driving a worm gear 35, shown in Figure 6 as being splined or otherwise secured to a sleeve 36. The sleeve 36 extends inwardly from a clutch housing 37 and is shown as being formed integrally therewith. The sleeve 36 is shown as being coaxial with a shaft 38 and journaled thereon on a sleeve bearing 39. The sleeve 36 also has a ball bearing 40 mounted thereon, outwardly of the worm gear 35 and journaling said sleeve in an end bearing support and housing member 41 for the gear housing 31. The end bearing support and housing member 41 is secured to the end of said gear housing, as by cap screws 42-42. A spur gear 43 is shown as being splined or otherwise secured to the sleeve 36 on the outer side of the ball bearing 40. The spur gear 43 is shown as meshing with a spur gear 44 keyed or otherwise secured to a transverse tying or stabilizing shaft 45.

The transverse shaft 45 is shown in Figure 4 as being journaled in the swinging frame 13 on ball bearings 4646 and is directly geared to the two motors, to stabilize rotation thereof and assure that the two motors connected in series, rotate at the same speeds of rotation, and that the load is equally distributed between said motors, as is diagrammatically shown in Figure 7.

A bevel pinion 47 is shown as being journaled on its hub on the inner end of the gear housing 31 on a ball bearing 48. The bevel pinion 47 is shown as being splined on the shaft 38, journaled within the sleeve 36 and extending into the clutch housing 37. The shaft 38 has a driven member 49 of a torque clutch 50, splined or otherwise secured to the outer end thereof, within the clutch housing 37. The bevel pinion 47 also has an axially aligned tying transverse shaft 51 splined or otherwise secured to its hub and positively connecting the bevel pinions 47 on each side of the machine together. The shaft 51, as shown in Figure 6, has a sprocket 53 thereon meshing with the endless conveyor chain 15 for driving the same. The two bevel pinions 47 and sprocket 53 are thus all positively connected together by the transverse tying shaft 51 to rotate at the same rates of speed.

The bevel pinion 47 is shown as meshing with a bevel gear 54 keyed or otherwise secured to the lower end of an upright shaft 55. The upright shaft 55 is shown as being journaled within a sleeve portion 56 of the gear housing 31 on oppositely arranged roller thrust bearings 5757, and as having a spur gear 59 keyed or otherwise secured to its upper end and shown as being disposed just beneath the apron 19 (see Figure 6). The spur gear 59 meshes with a spur gear 60,- keyed or otherwise secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 61, extending perpendicular to the plane of the apron 19. As herein shown, the spur gear 60 is journaled on its hub within a depending bearing flange 63 of a bearing housing or plate 64 on a ball bearing 65. The bearing housing or plate 64 is shown as being secured to the upper surface of the apron 19 as by cap screws 66. A sprocket 67 meshing with an endless chain 69 for a gathering device 17 is shown as being splined on the upper end of the shaft 61, and as being driven therefrom. The sprocket 67 is shown as having a sleeve 70 extending upwardly therefrom and journaled in a bearing bracket 71 on a ball bearing 72. The bearing bracket 71 in turn is mounted on the plate 19 as by a spacer 73 and cap screws 74--74. The two gathering devices 17--17 are thus tied together by the stabilizing and tying shaft 51 to be driven together at the same rates of speed.

The torque clutches 50, 50 driving the stabilizing tying shaft 51 from the motors 25, 25 are shown as being well known forms of spring loaded friction disk clutches having alternate friction disks 7575 splined to the inner periphery of the housing 37 and having the intermediate disks 75, 75 splined on the driven member 49.

An end disk 75 of the clutch 50 is shown as being engaged by an engaging member 76, biased by a compression spring 75 to engage the disks 75, 75 with each other to effect a drive to the driven member 49 and shaft 38. The compression spring 77 is shown as being seated at its inner end in a cup-like recess 79 in the engaging member 76, and at its outer end is of an end plate 80 for the clutch housing 37. The spring 77 may be loaded to provide the required torque for driving the two gathering devices 1717 and conveyor chain 15, and may be adjusted as required to vary the torque load at which the clutch will slip in an obvious manner and no part of my present invention so not herein shown or described.

The friction disk torque clutches 50 thus provide a friction drive from the worm gears 3535 and motors 2525 to the tying shaft 51 and the two spaced gathering mechanisms 17--17 and conveyor chain 15 permitting either gathering chain to be safely loaded to substantially twice the rated load of either motor without overloading the two motors, as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 7, showing the two motors positively tied to rotate together by the tying shaft 51 and showing the two gathering devices 1717 positively tied together by the tying shaft 51, with the two friction clutches located between the two tying shafts and in the drive to opposite ends of the tying shaft 51.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a simple practical and effective drive has been provided between two connected motors, electrically connected in series, which provides power for either gathering mechanism at the rated power of the two motors and that this is attained by stabilizing the two motors by one tying shaft, stabilizing the two gathering devices by a second tying shaft and driving the second tying shaft from the motors by individual friction slip clutches loaded to slip at substantially the rated load of the two motors.

It will he understood that various modifications and variations of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loading machine having a frame, a conveyor extending therealong and gathering devices extending in advance of the forward end of said frame and extending along opposite sides of said conveyor for picking up and loading material onto said conveyor, an individual motor at each side of said frame, for driving said gathering devices, means electrically connecting said motors in series, and a stabilizing driving connection between said motors and said gathering devices and conveyor comprising a transverse stabilizing tying shaft journaled in said frame, geared drive connections between said motors and opposite ends of said shaft, a second tying shaft for said gathering devices, geared drive connections from said second tying shaft to said gathering devices, and individual torque clutches connecting said motors to drive said second tying shaft.

2. In a loading machine, a frame having a conveyor extending therealong, gathering devices extending along opposite sides of said conveyor, a motor mounted at each side of said frame, clutch housings journaled at each side of said frame, geared drive connections between said motors and said clutch housings, a stabilizing tying shaft stabilizing the speeds of rotation of said motors, geared drive connections between said clutch housings and said tying shaft, a second stabilizing tying shaft journaled in said frame, geared driving connections between said second tying shaft and said gathering devices, and friction torque clutches in said clutch housings having driving connection with opposite ends of said second tying shaft.

3. In a face loading machine, a frame having a conveyor extending therealong, gathering devices extending along opposite sides of said conveyor from positions in advance thereof, a motor mounted at each side of said main frame, said motors having longitudinal motor shafts, clutch housings journaled at each side of said frame for rotation about coaxial transverse axes, a stabilizing tying shaft for said motors, spaced from and parallel to the axes of said clutch housings, a geared drive connection from said motors through said clutch housings to said stabilizing tying shaft, for driving said shaft directly from said motors, and tying said motors to rotate together, a second stabilizing tying shaft coaxial with said clutch housings, friction torque clutches contained within said housings and connecting said clutch housings with opposite ends of said second tying shaft to rotatably drive the same, and geared drive connections between said second tying shaft and said gathering mechanisms.

4. In a face loading machine operable in mines underground, a frame having a conveyor extending therealong, gathering devices extending along opposite sides of said conveyor, a motor mounted at each side of said frame, said motors each having a longitudinal motor shaft, clutch housings journaled at each side of said frame for rotation about coaxial transverse axes, a geared drive connection from said motors to said clutch housings, for rotatably driving the same, a stabilizing tying shaft journaled in said frame for rotation about an axis parallel to the axes of said clutch housings, a gear on each of said clutch housings, and gears on opposite ends of said tying shaft meshing therewith and tying said motors to rotate together, a tying shaft coaxial with the axes of rotation of said clutch housings, bevel gears on opposite ends of said shaft and driven thereby, geared drive connections between said bevel gears and said gathering devices, a sprocket on said last mentioned tying shaft for driving said conveyor, and friction slip torque clutches carried within said clutch housings and having driving connections with said second tying shaft for driving the same at the torque of said two motors.

5. In a face loading machine, a frame having a conveyor extending therealong, gathering devices extending along opposite sides of said conveyor from positions in advance thereof, for picking up material from the ground and depositing it onto said conveyor, a motor mounted at each side of said frame, said motors having longitudinal motor shafts, a transverse stabilizing tying shaft journaled in said frame, geared drive connections from said motors to opposite ends of said shaft including coaxial worm gears driven by said motors, coaxial clutch housings journaled in said frame and having said worm gears mounted thereon, and driven by said worm gears, spur gears on said clutch housings, geared drive connections from said spur gears to said stabilizing drive shaft, bevel pinions journaled for rotation coaxial with said clutch housings, pre-loaded friction torque clutches driving said bevel pinions from said clutch housings, geared drive connections from said bevel pinions to said gathering devices for driving the same, and a second stabilizing tying shaft connecting said bevel pinions together and stabilizing rotation of said gathering devices.

6. In a loading machine having a frame, a conveyor extending along said frame, gathering devices at the forward end of said frame for picking up and loading material onto said conveyor, two motors, one being at each side of said frame, electrical conductors electrically connecting said motors together in series, and a stabilizing drive connection between said motors and said gathering devices comprising a tying shaft connecting said motors to operate together, a second tying shaft, geared drive connections from said second tying shaft to said gathering devices, and individual torque clutches for each gathering device, connecting said first tying shaft to drive said second tying shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,058 Rambausek Apr. 13, 1937 2,358,849 Cartlidge Sept. 26, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,851 Switzerland Feb. 17, 1930 

